


How to Make a Hobbit

by Jimiel



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Creation, Creation Myth, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2013-10-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 03:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1013716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jimiel/pseuds/Jimiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Arda's song develops a discord Eru Ilúvatar must find a way to once more bring the world to harmony. He does this in a way that involves all of the Valar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How to Make a Hobbit

**Author's Note:**

> This has been on my mind for a while and has become my own personal headcanon. It was pretty much spawned by the fact that in canon no one knows exactly who made Hobbits. So there ya go.

And so there came a time when Eru Ilúvatar looked upon the world he and his Valar had sang into existence and found a discord within the harmony. It was not a large discord, for it did not tear apart the music of Eru’s beloved Arda, but it was an unpleasant twang in the otherwise beautiful flow of life. With the discord thrumming in his being, Eru perused Arda, searching for the reason for this lack of full harmony and a way to bring balance once more to the song of the world.

It didn’t take long for Eru to find the reasoning for the discord. The matter was simple for one who had the full knowledge of the world at their fingertips. The primary source of the discord was between his beloved Elfish children and their half-brothers, the Dwarfs. Somehow someone had misremembered a telling from Eru himself and it led to a violent, jealous hatred between the siblings. Certainly Eru had not designed the Dwarfs, but he did love them as dearly as any of his children. And now what had simply been someone misspeaking had turned Arda’s song into the discord that thrummed in the spirits of all the Valar and had the Dwarfs and Elves disrupting their younger brothers, the Humans, with their ill words. This could not be allowed to continue.

But how could Eru sing harmony back into the world when so much time had gone for the shorter-lived creatures as he puzzled out the disharmony?

Eru was watching Yavanna tend to the younglings among the Ents he had gifted to her when the answer came to him. It was perhaps the most simple and brilliant idea he had ever had and he set about calling together the Valar even as a new tune began thrumming in his mind.

“Father, why do you bring us together?” Ulmo’s voice was as a rippling brook, and he was impatient to return to his sea kingdom.

Eru gave his children, each in various stages of wanting to go play with their favorites within Arda, a patient smile. “I am not certain if you have noticed…” He began. “Of late there has been a discord in the greater harmony of Arda.” Eru had been looking at Aulë, hoping he would have noticed, with as much time as the smith spent with his Dwarfs. But the smith seemed clueless and Eru thus missed the slight flinch Melkor gave at the words. After a pause, Eru continued. “I have brought you all here to assist me with helping free Arda of this discord.”

Without another word being spoken, Eru Ilúvatar held out his cupped hands to show the tiny, bright light within the center. It was the beginning stages of a song of life and it was brighter than any the Valar had seen yet.  
Vairë drew in her breath, leaning closer to the light before looking up at Eru. “You are adding another race?” For already she could see the story of Arda weaving into a new pattern to add a place for this race. Then she frowned. “It is incomplete, Father…”

“I know, my child. That is why I have brought you all here.” Eru paused again before explaining. “The discord within Arda’s song is caused by a forgotten passage in some of the verbal tellings of history before the races began writing it down. The Elves, Dwarfs, and Humans have forgotten that they are all brothers and strife has grown within their numbers as they bicker. To smooth out the discord, I wish to add another race. A race that will be made by gifts from all of us.” He gave all of the Valar a look as he stated this, holding the eyes of each for a moment before moving on. “This fourth race shall be able to pull the others back together and remind them that they are all part of one song.”

Pleased with his speech, Eru held out the tiny light of the fourth race. “Give this race any gift you feel will aid them.” His broad smile encouraged his first children to assist in creating his youngest.

Ulmo, still desiring nothing more than to return to the sea, stood. He made his way over to his Father and newest sibling. He stared at the tiny light for a moment before speaking. “Its tiny. Could get swept away in a bad storm or a deep current. They’d better watch out for that.” Then he sang the caution into the heart of the tiny life song, weaving it into the new melody so that evermore would the new race be cautious of deep and fast water. With a curt nod, Ulmo departed.

Oromë followed next, peering down at the song. “Ulmo’s right, Father. It is small. Smaller than even the song of the Dwarfs.” He frowned before giving a disappointed sound. “You’re no true hunters, little ones. Best stick to raising farm animals.” And he sang that caution into the new hearts just as Ulmo had given them the wise caution of water. Oromë gave a wave before trotting off to go back to the hunt he had left behind for this meeting.

The next to approach was Varda. She moved with the bright grace the Elves tried to emulate in their love for her as she peered down at the youngest. “May you be able to find some type of beauty within all things during times of peace, little ones. Listen to the world with an open heart.” She breathed her part of the song into the new race, watching as the ears perked up, the tips pointing elegantly as they already strove to fulfill her gift. She moved to sit beside her husband and watch as the others gave their gifts.

Nienna moved next, swiftly taking her place and adding her own gift to along the same lines of Varda’s. “May you know pity to those who seem undeserving. Wisdom where there seem none, and your hearts be strong to endure the most pressing grief.” For a brief moment, her own grief was set aside as she sang her part into the new song. Then she sobbed aloud and tore away from the gathering as a quick vision of the future of this new race touched her heart.

Slightly unsettled by his sister’s reaction, Námo paused before standing as well. “Little ones…” His tone was thoughtful, trying to decide exactly what to gift to the new race before remembering what most of the spirits within Valinor wished of their still living kinsmen. “May you always celebrate life as you find it, be it with you or having moved on to my halls in Mandos.” And so Námo sang the lines of celebration into the hearts of the as yet unnamed fourth race before leaving to check on Nienna.

Irmo was just as worried for his and Námo’s sister Nienna and so hurried to give his part of the song to the new race as well. “May your dreams be simple and easy to fulfill that you never truly know greed to weigh down your spirits.” Breathing his benediction into the song, Irmo fled after his siblings.

Next in the song was Vána. She had an impish sort of smile in place as she stated her gift to the newest. “Irmo had the right idea, and they call me the ever-young… So lets have the youngest hold true to this as well. May they appear to be ever young in both appearance and soul, finding their simple joys in food and flowers.” As she sang her gift to the new race, the appearance of even the eldest of the youngest that all the Valar could see within the light of the song took on that of small children. Vána gave a cheeky wink at the other Valar and bounced out of the meeting room. 

“May you be able to stand up to any challenge Arda can bring to you.” Aulë’s gift to the new race was next. “You’ll need it after what Vána did to you…” He muttered before adding his song to the light. But, for all his good intentions, Aulë’s ability to sing what he could clearly envision was not the best and his gift took on a more literal bent, the feet of the tiny, youthful race growing in size and becoming tough. Aulë expression became somewhat pained, only the bright and proud smile of his wife turning his look more sheepish than ashamed at his lack of proper skills to sing life into flesh. After all, Dwarfs weren’t short intentionally!

Thrilled with her husband’s intentions, Yavanna took her turn next. “May you ever be able to coax the fruits of the earth to life and be able to see how all things grow and are connected.” She sang her gift to the new race before taking her husbands hands and leading him from the meeting with a look much as any pleased wife about to bestow a personal gift upon her husband…  
Feeling that if he waited too long it would bring suspicion upon him, Melkor rose next. He observed the tiny beings of the new race song for a moment before shrugging off the race as being important for more than just soothing Arda’s discordant song. “May you be resistant to those things that darken the minds and hearts of other races, small ones.” He sang his gift and then departed without looking at any of his siblings, returning to his play at altering existing songs of life.

Estë, as well as those that remained, gave Melkor a thoughtful look as he departed. Then she stepped forth to sing her own gift. “May you heal swiftly and gently from any hurts you receive in mind, body, and spirit.” She pursed her lips after she sang, knowing deep down that some things would still take an impossibly long time to heal, but that they would bounce back from anything thrown at them with a surprising vitality. She eventually nodded and moved on her way.

Dancing to the fore of the remaining Valar, Nessa took her place in front of Eru’s cupped hands. “Small by right and possibly awkward thanks to poor Aulë’s efforts, but he means well the dear.” She smiled, reaching out to caress the glowing song of the youngest race. “May you be swift and nimble on those Aulë has gifted you with so that you can easily hide from any that might do you harm.” Her song was added as swiftly as the newly agile feet of the young looking race. And she laughed as her own benediction somehow made fur like that of a feline sprout on the large, tough feet. She turned to the other Valar. “Perhaps Aulë and I should take singing lessons some day.” She giggled before dancing out of the meeting.

Those remaining with Eru chuckled at her words before Tulkas stepped forth. “An odd assortment of gifts within beings so small. Yet I shall give you the greatest.” He paused in a way he felt dramatic. “To you, youngest, I give a hidden courage so great that you won’t even know its there until you’ve become heroes.” Feeling quite proud, Tulkas wove his part into the song of the youngest. Once complete he gave a bow and strode out to find where Nessa had gone.

At a nod from Vairë, Manwë rose to give his gift next. “I must admit, I know not what to give from my domain that may be of use to you with your collection of riches…” He thought of his own time on Arda and what he had learned he had needed while there before he smiled. “May you find it ever easy to form friendships, for you are truly worthy of being loved by all you meet.” He brushed his fingers against the light before turning and taking Varda’s hand in his. With a gentle tug, he and his wife returned to their own halls.

Now alone with Eru, Vairë stood and moved to where he continued to cup the newest race’s life song. “You know that they will not always have it easy in Arda.”

Eru nodded. “Yes, but I feel that with these gift all have given, that they will be able to face the challenge they are being given with the most skill any have yet seen.”

Vairë nodded, agreeing with that assessment. “In that case, I give my gift to the youngest.” She peered down at the adorable little faces that seemed like children all. “Your threads in the tapestry of the world will unfortunately not be long, little ones. But they will be plentiful and will wrap around the harshest times Arda will face and bring back the light and joys of the world.” Her song piece was the final note in the puzzle, clicking the fate of the new race into place. Vairë left the room in a daze, her mind filled with the paths these new threads were already weaving into the grand scheme of Arda’s song.

Eru Ilúvatar beamed down at the youngest as the last of his eldest drifted from the meeting chamber. He held the light close to him, bestowing all the love a parent could ever give to their children as the gentle tendrils of their finished song began to seep into the greater world song already. Finally he could hold them to him no longer and he sent the newest race out to live in the world they had been created to save.

“Good luck, our Hobbits…”

**Author's Note:**

> Why yes, I did make Yavanna be a bit randy for Aulë right before giving the Hobbits a gift that allows them to bring forth the "fruits of life." Why do you ask? *wide eyes*


End file.
